


Glimpses of the Future

by kamenhero25



Series: Little Ritsuka's Journey Through Time and Space [2]
Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night (Visual Novel), Fate/stay night - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Ensemble Cast, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Humor, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2019-11-04 01:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17889161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kamenhero25/pseuds/kamenhero25
Summary: A collection of drafts and snippets from future Singularities of Little Ritsuka and her Loving Family.  Told out of order and mostly for comedy.





	1. AC vs DC

“Wow, so this is America?” Ritsuka said as the light of the reyshift faded away. “I didn’t think that it would be this… empty.”  
  
“You seem to have arrived somewhere out west,” Roman said as his image appeared in mid-air. “In this time period, most of the modern America is supposed to be unclaimed frontier. I’m sort of surprised that there are towns out here at all.”  
  
“That has always been the state of America,” Nikola Tesla said as he stepped forward. “The old mixes with the new, urban sprawls and quaint rustic towns sit just down the road from each other, and all linked together by a network of roads and power lines that bind the nation together. Isn’t it a beautiful hub of innovation?”  
  
There was a long moment of silence. “I suppose that’s true,” Roman said. “America has always been a melting pot in a lot of ways. I suppose a Serbian immigrant would know that well enough. But that wasn’t quite what I meant. I think the Singularity is distorting the terrain around you. Things from other time periods are all getting merged together. If you don’t stabilize it soon, the Singularity will collapse and take all of you with it.”  
  
“We’ll take care of everything,” Mash said with a slightly exasperated sigh. “Just like always.”  
  
“Indeed,” Arturia said. “We’ve handled this sort of issue more than once already.”  
  
The image in the air flickered and Rin replaced Roman. “Keep an eye on Ritsuka alright? I have a bad feeling about this one.”  
  
“Of course,” Arturia said. “She’s my family too. She’ll be completely safe with us.”  
  
The air crackled and there was a load laugh. “Excellent! Then allow me to lead our tour of this fabulous country!” Tesla’s hand was already glowing and his hair rose and fell with the static. “I detect magic energy in this direction.”  
  
The team headed off in the direction the rather eccentric Archer indicated and as they crossed the next hill, they saw the source of the commotion. An army of archaically dressed warriors were clashing with what looked like an army of very American looking robots. “What.” Even Ritsuka couldn’t keep the confusion out of her voice. “They look kinda familiar…”  
  
“They look like Mr. Babbage’s robots!” Mash interrupted. “Rin, can you go check and see if he knows anything?”  
  
“Calling him up now,” the older woman said. “Is it possible that another instance of him has been summoned into this Singularity too?”  
  
“No, that’s wrong,” Tesla said, staring intently at the robots. “These are not steam powered like the brilliant Mr. Babbage’s creations. I can sense the lightning that flows through their forms like blood! Come! If we cannot determine who the villain is here, then we shall defeat both sides and I can confirm my suspicions.”  
  
There was little time to say anything before the Archer leaped into battle, bolts of lightning raining down on both sides and scattering the ancient warriors and the red, white, and blue robots in equal measure. The rest of the Servants sighed and followed after him, warding off attacks from behind as Tesla waded into the melee, frying everything within arm’s reach with his lightning. The skirmish lasted only minutes before both sides were either fleeing or shattered on the ground. “All enemy contacts defeated,” Mash said as she allowed herself to relax.  
  
“What are you looking for Mr. Tesla?” Ritsuka asked as she cocked her head. The scientist was currently bent over one of the robots, rummaging through the inner workings.  
  
“I knew it!” He straightened up, his whole body sparking and a scowl on his face. “I knew I recognized this technology. Shoddy workmanship, knock-offs of a smarter man’s work, and this direct current engine… It can only be one man!”  
  
Mash and Arturia both just looked baffled, but Ritsuka looked thoughtful. “Direct current? Oh! You taught me about that! It’s the one that’s inferior to your invention, right?”  
  
“Yes. This interior technology could only be created by  _that_  man!” Tesla’s whole body began to glow.  
  
Mash gently put a hand on Ritsuka’s shoulder and pulled her behind her shield. “You know who’s behind these machines?”  
  
“Of course. Come with me and we’ll take care of this Singularity immediately.  _He_  must be the cause of all of this.”  
  
\------------------------------  
  
The next group they encountered was significantly less hostile. Nightingale hadn’t been exactly what they were expecting, but she was determined and eager to come with them to try to cure America or something like that. “Hold on just a minute!” Only for them to be stopped by a new arrival. “Don’t you know that deserting your post during wartime is a serious crime?”  
  
The new Servant was hardly taller than Ritsuka, but she sounded much older. Nightingale just gave her a flat look. “I am not deserting my post. My mission has no changed. I must treat this country’s illness so there will be no more fighting.”  
  
The new Servant just huffed. “That’s a Berserker for you I guess,” she said with a sigh.  
  
“You look quite well, Madame Blavatsky.” The new Servant trailed off as Tesla stepped forward.  
  
“Madame Blavatsky?” Mash asked curiously. “I remember that name. She was the face of occultism in the 19th century. Her studies were some of the most widespread in her era.”  
  
“Please don’t call me that Mr. Tesla.” Helena’s shoulders slumped and she sighed. “I admit, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”  
  
“I, on the other hand, expected your appearance from the beginning,” the Archer boasted. “I never quite understood why you were so close with that fool.”  
  
Helena immediately bristled. “He’s a great man, and more importantly, he’s my friend. You having differences of opinion with him won’t change that.”  
  
“Great to a degree,” Tesla said, reluctance obvious in his voice. “But his industry is hardly the light of one of his incandescent bulbs before the brilliant flash of my genius! Take us to him at once and we’ll settle this matter once and for all.”  
  
The occultist immediately sighed again and rubbed her eyes. “You’re going to run off to find him if I don’t take you to him, aren’t you?” Tesla’s stony silence was answer enough. “Fine. I’m sure the presi-king will want to meet all of you anyway.”  
  
“The what now?” Arturia said flatly as they were led away by a large pack of mechanized combatants.  
  
\------------------------------  
  
“Wow! A lion!” Ritsuka seemed to be the only one amazed by the towering lion-headed Presi-king of the West. Everyone else just stared in absolute disbelief. Even Tesla seemed at a total loss for words.  
  
“Yes, I understand that you are at a loss for words to describe my majesty,” the tall stars and stripes covered Heroic Spirit said, his voice deep and rumbling. “But you need not fear me. I am the great King of Innovation, Thomas Alva Edison!”  
  
“I knew I recognized your handiwork, you direct current hack.”

The large lion man cut off with a growl. “What? Direct current is the only way!” The tall Servant cut himself off with an angry roar. “I knew there was a familiar stench in the air. What are you doing here, you alternating current fool?”  
  
“Fixing your mess apparently,” Tesla said with a smug smile. “Since you’ve somehow managed to get yourself into a losing war. How incredibly like you.”  
  
Edison ground his teeth, a low constant rumble coming from his throat. “My industry is perfect! My America turns out my perfected mechanized infantry at an astonishing rate. This is the true glory of the art of mass production.  
  
“Running your workers into the ground for a quick profit. Even as a Heroic Spirit you haven’t changed at all. My superior technology could have ended this war entirely on its own.”  
  
“Not another of your ridiculous one-off super weapons,” Edison groaned. “I have better things to spend my time on. I have the amazing power of America to restore!”  
  
The rest of the group, Helena and Karna included, watched the increasingly snippy debate in silence. Finally, the short Caster sighed. “I should have known that they’d get like this,” Helena said, shaking her head.  
  
“I see,” Nightingale said as she watched the pair bickering like children. “Master, I seem to have made a mistake in my diagnosis. It seems that the patients are both extremely ill. It is my duty as a nurse to administer immediate treatment.”  
  
“Yes please,” Mash and Arturia said in almost perfect sync.  
  
Ritsuka quickly nodded. "They're both idiots," she said flatly.  
  
“Just don’t hurt them too badly,” Helena said.  
  
“Sometimes medicine is unpleasant,” Nightingale said as she drew her gun. “But the purpose is always to improve the patient’s overall health. Proceeding with the treatment.”


	2. The Goddess of Death

“I hate this place,” Rin muttered to herself as they descended the long stone passage to the underworld. It was dark, and gloomy, and still managed to be interminably dry. Which would have simply been annoying if it weren’t for the fact that whoever had taken over thought it was funny to shave a couple of inches off her height every time they went deeper. “I really, really do.” Her voice came out slightly squeaky from her new size, just adding to the frustration.  
  
Ritsuka was doing her best, but by now even she was giggling at her mother’s predicament. “Don’t worry mama,” the red-head said with a smile. “You’ll be taller than me again once we get King Gil back.”  
  
Rin felt the veins in her forehead bulge, but forced herself to take several deep breaths and not snap. Where was EMIYA when she needed to relieve some stress? “I know, honey. You don’t need to worry about me.”  
  
“This place isn’t all that bad actually,” Olga Marie said as they rounded the next corner. “It feels… kind of homey actually.”  
  
Everyone stared at her for a couple of seconds. “I guess that Ereshkigal coming through,” Rin said after the long moment of silence. “Ugh, even when we have the goddess of the underworld on our side, this is still a pain in the rear.”  
  
“It does make sense,” Mash said as she helped Ritsuka over a large rock. “Having Ereshkigal in the Director instead of here probably made one of the Three Goddesses taking over her domain much easier than it normally would have been.”  
  
“Don’t remind me,” Olga Marie muttered. She did not like making mistakes, especially when the mistakes made things harder for everyone else too. “Let’s just find this new goddess and deal with her so we can get King Gilgamesh back and get out of here.”  
  
“I hope she’s as nice as Miss Quetz,” Ritsuka said brightly as she skipped ahead.  
  
There was a round of sweat drops from everyone. “I don’t know if ‘nice’ is the word I would use,” Rin muttered.  
  
“She was so much fun!” Ritsuka said, either oblivious or simply ignoring her mother’s annoyance. “And she promised to teach me how to do a proper suplex once we fixed the Singularity.”  
  
Rin once again took several deep breaths. “We’ll discuss that later, sweetie,” she said firmly.  
  
“I think what we’re looking for should be just up ahead,” Olga Marie interrupted. “I can… feel it, for lack of a better term.” She felt her skin tingling slightly and Ereshkigal was rising up inside her mind, the goddess’s power growing stronger as they neared the heart of her domain. But something was interfering with the flow of power, like the river had been dammed up. “And I think our uninvited guest is there too.”  
  
“Fantastic,” Rin said. “Let’s get her and go home already.” They pressed ahead, crossing the endless dark sands of the underworld as they approached the palace at the heart. The group finally came to a stop at the final gateway, looking up at the center of the land of the dead. “Alright! Show yourself so we can do this already!”  
  
“O~hohohoho!” Rin felt her blood run cold as she heard a  _very_  familiar voice. “My my, the former owner of this abode and her airhead sister, come to see me? I’m afraid I haven’t had much time to set up for company.”  
  
Rin gritted her teeth so hard she could hear them grinding together. “We’re in a temporal Singularity, in a different reality, thousands of years in the past, and all of human history has been incinerated,” she growled. “And I still can’t get away from you. I must be cursed.”  
  
The figure stepped forward, giving them a good look at her for the first time. A golden mask, intricately shaped to look like a woman’s face was pressed tight against the right side of her face, while a matching gauntlet covered her hand and wrist, with a black sleeve tucked inside to make sure it didn’t come free. Her armored boots did much the same, though her right pant leg was longer, disappeared into her boot completely while her left was far shorter and left her exposed from below her knee up to the hemline of her shorts. Even her hair was split, with the right side and the large drill-like pony tail so pale blonde it was nearly white while the left was its usual golden blonde.  
  
“Hi Auntie Luvia!” Ritsuka said, waving at the goddess.  
  
The goddess sharing the body of Luvia Edelfeldt laughed again. “Oh, I see. You must have been familiar with my host. But you seem to misunderstand. I am currently the one in control of this body. You may call me Hel, the great and powerful queen of the dead.”  
  
Rin twitched slightly. “Fantastic. Now how about you give the underworld back to the actual goddess of the underworld and we can be on our way?”  
  
Hel smirked. “Well, she was off neglecting her duties and someone had to step in. And now that I’ve moved in, I don’t really feel like stepping out again.” She flipped her hair back with a sly smile. “So why don’t you just head back home… useless goddess.”  
  
Rin felt something snap inside her and her bow manifested. “I was looking for some stress relief anyway. Looks like I’ll get to take it out on your stupid face, Edelfeldt!”  
  
Hel’s smile turned absolutely savage. “Come and get me then, Goddess of Venus!” A black metal spear manifested in her hand and Mash had to drag Ritsuka back before she could be caught in the crossfire as the two goddesses attacked.


	3. Scary Little Girls

“I’m telling you, it’s just a formality,” Enforcer Goldwin said as he walked down the hall with his partner. “The Animuspheres have almost as much influence as the Barthomelois. We’re just here because the Association doesn’t want the Director to think she can do whatever she wants and get away with it.”  
  
Enforcer Reyes just sighed. “That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be doing our jobs.”  
  
“Relax a little bit,” Goldwin said, patting her on the shoulder. “Go chat with your favorite mythological character or something. When else are you going to find a hundred odd Heroic Spirits in one place?”  
  
“That’s what worries me,” Reyes muttered.  
  
Goldwin just shrugged. “Relax,” he repeated. “A lot of them are pretty nice actually. Just try it and I think you’ll be less bored. Now I gotta run. A couple of French guys invited me to play poker and I’ve always wanted to meet Marie Antoinette.”  
  
Reyes just threw up her hands as her partner disappeared down one of the passages to god knows where. “I don’t know why I bother,” she said to herself. She turned and promptly felt someone very short run straight into her legs.  
  
“Oh, sorry.” A short red-head in a white dress rubbed her head. “I wasn’t watching were I was going.”  
  
It only took Reyes a second to recognize her. “It’s alright.” This was definitely not how she’d been expecting to meet the girl the Association had sent here. Still, it was somewhere on the to-do list to check in on her. Chaldea’s report of how involved she’d been with the incident had been… vague to say the least. “You’re Ritsuka, right?”  
  
“Yup,” the girl said brightly. “You’re one of the Association’s inspectors, right?”  
  
“Oh, yes. That’s right.”  
  
Ritsuka smiled. “Mama told me to be polite and help you if you needed it. Are you looking for someone?”  
  
Mama. Right. The Wizard Marshall’s apprentice. Because they needed someone else ungodly influential thrown into the situation for good measure. “Actually, I don’t really have anything to do right now,” the Enforcer admitted.  
  
Ritsuka’s eyes lit up. “You could come to my tea party if you wanted,” the child offered. “It’ll be fun. Alice is getting everyone together.”  
  
A refusal came to Reyes’s lips for a moment, but then she stopped and thought about it. This might be the perfect time to get some casual one-on-one time with the girl. Maybe she could learn something interesting without having to drag the kid into an actual questioning session. “Alright. I’d like the meet them.”  
  
Ritsuka smiled and grabbed her gloved hand, tugging on her arm as she led her down the hallway. Reyes chuckled a little bit at the girl’s enthusiasm as she allowed herself to be led down the hall to a room. The interior was a bit… frilly for her tastes, but she supposed little girls were usually in to the lacy look. However, the group gathered around the table immediately drew her attention. None of them looked older than twelve, but she could feel the energy in the room. Every single one of them was a Servant. The first was wearing a white dress with frills along the hems. Her face was slightly scarred and she had silver hair that didn’t look quite natural. The second was much the same, though her hair was longer and her dress was puffy and black with her hair in long pig tails. The third was dressed in what could only be described as the strangest Santa cosplay she’d ever seen. The next girl in line was perhaps the most normal, being rather ordinary blonde and wearing a flannel shirt and denim overalls. It almost looked a little too normal compared to the rest of the group. The fifth and final girl was dressed in a puffy black dress absolutely covered in bows that looked a bit like a nightgown. She held a teddy bear close to her chest and kept quiet as the the first two girls jumped up to greet Ritsuka.  
  
Reyes hesitated for a few seconds then took a seat next to the last guest to the impromptu party. The sole male occupant of the room looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. The Enforcer couldn’t help thinking that his outfit looked a bit dated, or perhaps a bit stylized, but his blue hair was what really threw her for a moment. “Hello,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound too out of her depth.  
  
“So they dragged someone else into this too,” the boy said. “You have my sympathies. Even if you are a bit part.”  
  
Reyes did a double take at the deep sound of his voice. Then she actually processed what he’d said and wondered if she should be insulted or not. “Enforcer Reyes. And you?”  
  
“Have work that I could be doing,” the boy said with a long suffering sigh. “But you can call me Hans.”  
  
“Right…” She was sure she’d heard that name somewhere before, but she couldn’t quite place where.  
  
“Don’t be such so stubborn,” Ritsuka grumbled, her cheeks puffing up indignantly. “You might have fun.” Then she immediately brightened again. “Papa even made us cookies for today. I’m going to go get them.” She turned on her heel and skipped out of the room, leaving the Enforcer alone with the pack of Servants.  
  
There was a long moment of silence then Hans just sighed again. “This is ridiculous. Tell Master that I’m not feeling well and went back to my room to rest.” He got to his feet to leave, but before he got three steps, the air rippled and a black tentacle emerged from the air and wrapped around his waist.  
  
“Running away right after Master left is rude,” the girl in the nightgown said. Reyes did a double take as she realized that her whole outfit had changed. Now she was wrapped in a strange stringy robe and her nightcap had been replaced by a pointed witch’s hat. The tentacle dragged Hans back to the table and sat him back in his spot.  
  
Reyes thought that he looked much more his age when he pouted. “I uh… didn’t get your names,” she said. That was a fair point to start a conversation, right?  
  
“Oh yes,” the girl’s clothes flickered and returned to normal almost instantly. “I’m Abbie.”  
  
“Damned witch,” Hans muttered.  
  
“I’m Jeanne,” the Santa cosplayer said. “And this is Paul.” The girl in flannel just waved.  
  
“I’m Alice,” the girl in black cut in.  
  
“And we’re Jack,” the last girl said. “You’re from the Association, right?”  
  
Reyes nodded slowly. “Yes. I’m an Enforcer.”  
  
“Oh, we remember Enforcers. They didn’t like us very much.”  
  
Reyes suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. “Really?” Was Jack a more modern spirit then?  
  
“They came after us after the fifth one,” Jack said with a smile. “And they made us go away. We didn’t like them very much either.”  
  
“Fifth… one…” That sounded disturbingly familiar.  
  
“You won’t make us go away again, right?” Jack asked with a voice almost too innocent to be believed.  
  
“We weren’t planning on it,” the Enforcer said very slowly.  
  
Jack smiled warmly and sat back down in her seat. “That’s good,” she said. “We don’t know what we’d do if someone tried to take us away from sister and mommy. We might end up dismembering someone again, and sister always gets sad when we do that.”  
  
Jack… dismember… five… Reyes felt all the blood leave her face and she felt momentarily faint. She’d stared down Dead Apostles before, but that was nothing on having tea with Jack the Ripper. “I’ll be sure not to do that,” she said.  
  
Jack’s reply was cut off as Ritsuka threw the door open again and happily stomped into the room with a tall red-headed man. “Papa and I brought the snacks!” she declared proudly.  
  
The man chuckled and nodded to the Enforcer. “Thank you for putting up with them,” he said softly as he set a large tray of cookies in the middle of the table.  
  
“Sure…” Reyes picked up a cookie before the kids could swarm the tray and snatch them all away. She tried very hard not to look as off-balance as she felt. “No problem.”


	4. Punishing Mean Snakes

“Oh my, me, have you put on a little weight? You don’t look very well.”  
  
“Oh no, me. We look just the same as always.”  
  
“I don’t know second sister. Maybe we should ask a second opinion. Hey Meduseless!”  
  
The taller Gorgon sister sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Yes, first sister?”  
  
“Does Euryale still look fine to you?”  
  
“She looks fine, sister.”  
  
Stheno smirked. “Are you sure? You have experience putting on weight after all.”  
  
Medusa rolled her eyes. “Yes.”  
  
There was a low growl from behind them. “Stop that!” The three goddess turned to see their short Master, her face nearly as red as her hair. “Stop being mean to Auntie Medusa!”  
  
Stheno’s lips twitched up into a smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. “We’re just playing around. Meduseless doesn’t mind.”  
  
Medusa shook her head. “It’s fine Ritsuka. Don’t worry about me.”  
  
Ritsuka fell silent for a moment, glaring at the two shorter goddesses. Then a placid smile suddenly spread across her face. “It’s okay Auntie ‘Dusa. Mama taught me how to instill discipline in idiots.” She raised her hand and made a finger gun in the direction of the two gorgons.  
  
Euryale backed up a step. “Uh… Medusa…”  
  
Medusa fought very hard to keep a smile off her face. “I’m sorry, second sister. I’m afraid I can’t interfere with our Master.”  
  
“You’re Servants, so this level of power should be just about right,” Ritsuka said as black and red light began to gather on her fingertips.  
  
Stheno looked at the spell. “You do know that goddesses can easily resist spells like…” Then she yelped as the bolt hit her right in the chest, sending a painfully stinging through her body for a moment. “Ow! Stop tha…” She yelped again as Ritsuka fired another magical bullet. “Ow!”  
  
Euryale simply turned and bolted. “Leave me alone!” Stheno took one look at her fleeing sister then back at Ritsuka. Then she did the same.  
  
“Come back here and take your punishment!” Ritsuka shouted as she ran after the two sisters, firing gandr spells wildly after the pair.  
  
“We’re… supposed… to be… safe… with her…” Stheno gasped as she lifted the hem of her dress and tried to run faster as another stinging bullet hit her shoulder.  
  
Euryale yelped as a spell hit her back. “This was… your… idea!” She tried to jump behind a barrel on deck, only for one of the spells to cut straight through the wooden barrier. “Seriously?!” She yelped and kept running, her chest already heaving from the exertion. Then she looked ahead and saw a familiar face. “Asterios! Help us.”  
  
The minotaur cocked his head as the three small girls running toward him. “okay”  
  
\------------------------------  
  
“What’s all the racket out here!” Drake shouted as she kicked open the door to her cabin. Then she stopped dead at the sight of two gorgons dangling from one of Asterios’s massive hands by the back of their dresses and Ritsuka dangling from the other. The gorgons looked abjectly relieved while Ritsuka was pouting and had her arms crossed in front of her. The captain stared for just a moment before she poked her head back inside. “Hey, Tohsaka! You might want to come out here and see this.”


	5. Substitute Magical Girl Sapphire Rits-chan

EMIYA fought the urge to let his irritation show on his face. How on earth had the Wizard Marshal managed to make something that never stopped talking? He should have gone back to Chaldea and let someone else handle this one.

“Rits-chan is so responsible,” Sapphire sighed happily as she floated behind the red-headed girl. “She reminds me of Miyu.”

Ruby huffed and floated up from Ilya’s hand. “She’s much sweeter than Miyu.” The sentient Mystic Code wildly gestured with her wings. “She does have that same natural coolness though. She’d be a natural supporting magical girl.”

“Wow really?!” Ritsuka’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at the two Kaleidosticks.

Ruby jumped in front of her. “Absolutely! The cool supporting magical girl is a critical character for any adventure.” The stick spun around. “Sapphire! You should give Rits-chan a temporary contract.”

Sapphire sighed, this time in exasperation. “Nee-san…”

“You can actually do that?!” Ritsuka jumped up, looming over the blue Mystic Code with her hands clenched in front of her. “Really?”

EMIYA raised a hand. “Ah… Ritsuka maybe you shouldn’t…”

“Absolutely,” Ruby loudly interrupted. “Just in case we need to get a little extra help when our magical girls are in trouble.”

Sapphire shook herself. “I suppose Illya could use the help rescuing Miyu.” She floated over to Ritsuka and Ritsuka reached out to grab the Mystic Code. “Let’s see…”

Ritsuka grinned. “Prisma Sapphire! Transform!”

Sapphire nodded. “Contract established. Temparary owner acknowledged.”

There was a massive spiral of blue light that swirled around Ritsuka for a full fifteen seconds before it faded away and the short red-head floated there in a brilliant deep blue dress. “Wow! It’s so cute. Is this what Miyu wears?” She giggled and spun around. “Substitute Magical Girl, Sapphire Ritsuka is here to save the day. Let’s all fight for friendship and justice, okay?” She winked and formed a ‘v’ by her eye with two fingers.

There was a moment of stunned silence. Illya’s eyes had gone blank and she was just staring while both Mash and EMIYA had flushed faces and were looking away to hide their expressions. “Recording saved!” Ruby proclaimed proudly as she jumped up into the air. “Rits-chan is a natural magical girl. I’m so proud.”

“Nee-san,” Sapphire sighed again, visibly slumping in Ritsuka’s grip.

“Th… that was very cute, senpai,” Mash said, shaking herself.

Ruby trembled. “Sen…pai. Senpai!” She shot straight up into the air then dove down at Illya. “Illya! Senpai! A magical girl senpai! She’s the perfect mix of cute and cool! Quick, call her senpai too!”

Illya snapped out of her shock and grabbed the Kaleidostick by its wings. “I’m the senior magical girl here, right?! I’m the one who should be called senpai.”

“It’s okay, auntie,” Ritsuka said with a huge smile. “I’ll call you senpai if you want.”

Illya immediately slumped over. “Anything but auntie,” she moaned.


	6. Lost Belt Prologue, Little Rits Style

“Now on count number fourteen: use of unauthorized…”  
  
Ritsuka tuned out the large man’s talking as she bounced her heels off the legs of her chair and sighed. They could have let her bring a book or something. It wasn’t like she actually had to do anything other than sit around and look innocent. She sighed deeply and crossed her arms with a pout.  
  
Rin glanced sideways at her. “Behave,” her mother murmured. “We’re almost done.”  
  
“Yes mama,” the small red-head muttered, uncrossing her arms and straightening a little self-consciously.  
  
Then there was a knock on the door. Goldolf sighed, setting down the long list of complaints against Chaldea and absently tugging on his sleeve. “Yes? Who is it? We’re in the middle of something.”  
  
“Pardon me.” The door to the mage’s office swung open and a tall woman with flowing pink hair stepped inside. “There’s something you need to see, Mr. Musik. I have more information from the investigation team.” She lifted a thin manila folder and waved it in the air.  
  
The blonde magus sighed and gestured to her. “Well, let’s see then, Koyanskaya.” Ritsuka’s lips turned down in a small frown as the woman strutted past, her abnormally tight white jacket hugging her body.  
  
“I think it will be very informative,” the secretary said with a small smile. Then she half-turned and looked back at the Chaldea delegation. “Hopefully we’ll wrap this up quickly.”  
  
Ritsuka’s frown grew. “Miss Tamamo?”  
  
Koyanskaya’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. “I think you brought me the wrong folder,” Goldolf interrupted before she could respond. “This is empty.”  
  
“Ah, no.” The foxy secretary’s mouth twisted into a cruel smirk. “I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans.” Then in the blink of an eye a pistol appeared in her hand and half a dozen figures in black overcoats and ominous bird-like masks materialized along the perimeter of the room, all of them carrying blades and pistols.  
  
“Wh… what is all of this?!” Goldolf bellowed, flailing a bit as he stumbled backwards out of his chair. He only stopped when his wide back hit the back wall of his office.  
  
“I’m afraid that we have our own plans for Chaldea,” Koyanskaya said, her smile not wavering. “And your plan to help them was a great pretense for getting them here and out of their little fortress. Sorry, but this is goodbye.”  
  
There was a flash of red just as her finger twitched on the trigger and a man in a crimson hood appeared from nowhere, a combat knife in hand. His free palm smashed up, knocking the barrel of her gun into the air and sending the bullet into Goldolf’s ceiling rather than into his head. “Get down!” the Assassin roared as Rin tackled Ritsuka out of her chair. Both Rin and Olga Marie began to glow with magical energy, as the black-clad killers raised their guns.  
  
Then a flicker dashed from the shadows and an equal number of grey-skinned figures in skull masks appeared between then and the strange attackers. “Hundred Face!” Ritsuka cried out as the Assassin’s daggers met the black-clad monsters.  
  
The common speaker for the conglomerate Assassin, Asako, appeared in a shimmer of magic, her purple ponytail flowing behind her. “Master, you must escape at once,” she said without ceremony. “There are more of these things appearing throughout the building and the mages are being overwhelmed. We and the other Hassans will ensure your escape before withdrawing.”  
  
The secretary clicked her tongue and jumped back as the red-hooded Assassin drew his own gun, not letting his hidden gaze leave her for a second. “So you were prepared for trouble after all. I was hoping to manage this without a fight, but I can adapt.” She growled and leaped at her opponent, her bare hand hitting with the force of a bullet and forcing him to block on the edge of his knife.  
  
EMIYA grunted as the impact forced him back a few paces. “Go,” he growled. “Hurry.”  
  
“Stay safe, grandpa!” Ritsuka shouted as Rin grabbed her in one arm and kicked the door open with the other.  
  
“I’m not your grandpa,” Kiritsugu muttered under his breath before he was forced to turn his attention back to the grinning fox in front of him.  
  
Goldolf just stared at the increasingly full office in front of him. “What.” He seemed too stunned to actually move.  
  
“Damn it,” Olga Marie gritted her teeth and ducked behind EMIYA, grabbing the heavy-set man’s hand. “No time to stand there gawking. Come on, you idiot!” The blonde man yelped as the Director all but dragged him from the room as the sound of blades clashing filled the air behind them.


	7. Knight of the Sun, Knight of the Lake

Ritsuka clung to Arturia’s shoulders as they rushed up the stairs.  “Second staircase in the seventh hall…” Mash muttered from just ahead of them.  “This is the fastest way to the throne room, right?”

“This place looks nothing like Camelot,” Arturia muttered.  “My castle was never this big.”

Bedivere just nodded.  “We’re almost there.  We have a straight shot to the Lion King.”  His ordinary hand absently reached across his body, clutching the base of his silver arm as they ran.

“Problem,” Dr. Roman cut in, his image appearing in mid-air.  “There’s a powerful Spirit Origin coming up fast behind you!  It’s definitely one of the Knights of the Round Table, Gawain!”

“So he managed to get past King Hassan,” Mash replied softly.  “I hope he’s alright.”

“The King is strong!” Ritsuka interrupted.  “Gawain must have done something clever to get by.  He’s fine!”

Arturia just grimaced as she drew her golden blade and set Ritsuka safely on the ground.  “It matters not how he got here.  He’ll be on us soon enough.  We have no choice but to fight.”

“Indeed, your instincts are as sharp as ever.”  The group turned at the base of the stairs as the armor-clad figure of Sir Gawain appeared from the end of the hall.  “You do not fail to disappoint, King of Knights.”

“If you acknowledge me as King of Knights, why must we continue to fight?” Arturia didn’t take her eyes from the silver knight, her hands clutched tight around the hilt of her blade.  “If you know the king you serve is false, what is the point of this?”

“False?” Gawain’s lips twitched, though it was impossible to tell if they were trying to form a grimace or a grin.  “You misunderstand.  We were all given a choice when the Lion King came to us.  I was even told that I might strike the king down where they stood.  Our world is ruined, but even if it might be self-righteous, our king has declared themself the guardian of what remains of mankind.  Sir Bors, Sir Palamedes, Sir Geheris… not all of the Knights of the Round Table agreed with this.  And they showed their loyalty to the King of Knights be rebelling then and there.  And as the Knights of the Lion King, we struck them down.”

Mash’s eyes widened and Bedivere’s jaw clenched so hard that his face paled.  “You killed them?” the Shielder Servant said, shock evident in her voice.  “But I thought the Crusaders…”

A bark of humorless laughter erupted from Gawain’s lips.  “You think a bunch of tomb robbers could defeat the Knights of the Round Table?  Even splintered and broken as we are, they would be no match for us.”

“I see,” Arturia said, her voice devoid of emotion.  “Your honor has not changed, even now, Sir Gawain.”

“Indeed,” Gawain answered.  “I am a Knight of the Lion King to the bitter end.”

“Then as the King of Knights, we can be nothing more than enemies.”  Her sword came up and her gaze was steady and hard.  “Prepare yourself, Knight of the Sun.”

“Indeed,” Bedivere stepped forward, his arm beginning to glow.  “You are not the only one with the ability to defeat your own comrades in arms.  We shall defeat you together.”

“Your arm,” Ritsuka murmured, one of her small hands reaching out to catch the knight’s sleeve.

Bedivere just smiled at her.  “It’s fine,” he assured her.  “I’m strong too.”

“We don’t have time to linger,” Mash agreed.  “We need everyone at full power to defeat him before the Lion King finishes absorbing everything.”

Suddenly, there was a rumble beneath them and the floor shuddered under their feet.  “What?”  Gawain had just enough time to leap back as the floor cracked and exploded upward, one of the Enforcer Knights flying through the stone work and striking the ground, immobile and silent.  “Who is interfering now?” he growled, frustration leaking into his voice.

There was a wordless roar from the bottom of the newly formed hole and a black blur leaped from below, landing on the floor in front of Gawain with enough force to add more cracks to the stone.  “Aaaaarrttthurrrr!”

“Again?” Gawain snarled as the black knight turned to face him..  “This one again?!  Who are you to interfere _now_ of all times?”

Mash’s eyes widened.  “That’s…”

“He’s buying us time,” Bedivere said, the silver glow fading from his arm.  “We need to go.”

Ritsuka watched the two knights facing each other down.  “But…”

The black knight growled and looked back, a bloody glow shining through his visor.  “Ggggooo.”  The girl looked at him for a moment longer before the group turned and ran for the stairs again.

“Damn you!” Gawain shouted, rushing forward.  “I will not let you take this from me!”

A steely tendril lashed out from the black knight’s back, wrapping around the halberd of the fallen Enforcer Knight and dragging it to its master’s hands.  The weapon crackled with red and black light as it met Galatine’s blade, the air rippling from the impact force.  “Gaaawaaaain!”

“Who the hell do you think you are?!”  A low, rumbling growl echoed from the night’s helmet in response.  Then he roared and swung out with the polearm, throwing Gawain backward with brute force.  The halberd clattered to the ground and he reached back, drawing forth a blade sheathed in darkness.  Light swirled around him and the smoke that seemed to cover his armor vanished as the blade became clear.

Gawain’s eyes widened.  “It can’t be…”

The black knight’s helmet dissolved, revealing the wild eyes and matted hair of a very familiar face.  “Gaaawaain.”

“Lancelot.”  Gawain could feel the color fading from his cheeks.  “What happened?  What made you fall this low?”

“Arrrrthuuurr… Galahaad….” Lancelot replied.  “Protect…”

The Knight of the Sun steeled his jaw.  “Unbelievable.  Even like this, you haven’t changed.  Fine.  Then I’ll just go through you to protect my king!”

The black knight just howled as he raised Arondight to meet Galatine again.


End file.
